International Media Watch of news headlines and current affairs reports about Romania

Friday, August 19, 2011

Romanian Prime Minister Names Doctor to Head Health Ministry

Laszlo Ritli, a doctor backed byRomania’s junior governing coalition member, pledged to streamline health-care spending to meet the terms of international loan agreements after he was appointed by Prime Minister Emil Boc to head the Health Ministry.

Ritli, 63, replaces Attila Cseke, 38, who resigned on Aug. 4, saying his ministry received insufficient funds in a budget revision. Ritli, who was sworn in late yesterday by President Traian Basescu, took over his post today and told reporters today in Bucharest that he plans to rein in hospital costs, the biggest in the health-care system, to help the country cut its budget deficit to 4.4 percent of gross domestic product this year, the target agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.